Sleigh



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. A. B. WEBSTER.

S1e1gh No. 234,104. Patented Nov. 2, 1880.

1 J T W E. JB 1 PM 4 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2.

(No Model.)

A. B. WEBSTER. Sleigh. No. 234,104. Patented Nov. 2,1880.

Jq ifi J N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASWNGTON. D 5-,

- UNITED STATES "PATENT Gretna ALBERT B. WEBSTER, OF MANCHESTER, NEWHAMPSHIRE.

'SLEIGH.

"SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,104, datedNovember 2, 1880. Application filed May 12, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States,of Manchester, in the county ofHillsborough and State of New Hampshire,have invented a new and useful Sleigh, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in sleighs; and it hasfor its object to provide an improved system of springs for supportingthe body upon the frame of the sleigh, wherebyalljolting motion andviolent shocks, when the sleigh is passing over a rough surface, arepartially, if not entirely, avoided.

To this end the invention consists, first, in the combination, with thebars of the sleighframe, of two semi elliptical springs, secured at eachend to the under side of the side bars, respectively, and bent laterallyand upwardly at their central portions to form seats for the side sills,which support the sleigh-body, as more fully hereinafter specifiedsecond, in combination with the side bars of the sleigh, thesemi-elliptical springs pivoted to said side bars at their front ends,and at their rear ends pivoted to the free ends of the supplementalspring-plates secured to the side-bars, substantially as hereinaftermore fully specified third, in the combination, with the side bars of asleigh and the semi-elliptical springs secured thereto and to the sidesills for supporting the sleigh-body, of two curved springs attached tothe side bars of the sleigh and to the side sills supporting thesleigh-body, whereby a lateral spring movement is provided for the bodyof the sleigh and the upward movement of the body is restricted, as morefully hereinafter described; fourth, in the combination, with thesemi-elliptical springs and the side bars, of a transverseconnecting-rod and a longitudinal spring loosely attached to said rodand loosely secured at its ends to the transverse end braces of thesleigh, as more fully hereinafter specified; fifth, in the combination,in a sleigh, of the semi-elliptical springs secured to the side bars andforming supports for the side sills of the sleigh-body, the curvedsprings secured to the side bars of the sleigh and to the side sillswhich support the body, the transverse rod connecting thesemi-elliptical springs, and the longitudinal spring secured to thetransverse braces of the sleigh and to the transverse connecting-rod,the whole arranged as more fully hereinafter specified; sixth, theinvention further consists in the combination. with the side bars of thesleigh and the side sills, supported by the semi-elliptical springsconnected at each end to the side bars,of a center cross beam or bararranged below the under edges of the side bars of the sleigh andattached at its opposite ends to the center, side bars, runners, andintermediate sleigh-knees are firmly braced, and at the same time thebody is permitted to play vertically between and below the side bars, ashereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a sleighconstructed according to my invention, the body being removed Fig. 2, alongitudinal central vertical section thereof, and Fig. 3 a transversevertical section.

The letter A indicates the runners, B the knees, O the side bars, and Dthe dash-board, forming the frame of a sleigh, which may be strengthenedby the braces E, secured at their ends to the runners, extendingupwardly along the knees and passing transversely across thesleigh-frame.

The letter F indicates two semi-elliptical tiat springs secured to thelower edges of the side bars, 0, attheir forward extremities, thecentral portions extending inwardly, and being bent upwardly to supportthe side sills, G, to which the body of the sleigh is attached.

The rear ends of the semi-elliptical springs F are pivoted to the freeends of supplemental flat spring-plates F, secured to the under part ofthe side bars, U, by means of clips K, whereby the length of the semielliptical springs is practically increased, and such supplementalspring-plates materially aid in taking up the shocks received in passingover obstructions. The front ends of the springs F are attached to metalplates secured to the under side of the side bars by means of links orloops pivoted to the ends of said plates and to the ends of the springs.

The side sills, G, of the sleigh-body are secured to the springs F bymeans of clips L or other fastening devices, and the sleigh-body issecured to said sills in any convenient manner.

. F we -1 The letter M indicates two curved springs loosely secured atone end to the side bars, C, by means of the staples N or other suitabledevice, and extending laterally and upwardly, and attached at theirother ends to the side sills, G, in any convenient manner, suchlaterally-arranged springs serving to permit a lateral yielding movementof the slcighbody, and at the same time to a great extent restrict theupward vibrations of the body, avoiding too great strain on the clips.

The side sills, G, are connected and braced together by means of atransverse connecting rod, 0, which may be attached to the said sills inany suitable manner, and such brace also steadies and braces thesemi-elliptical springs against lateral strain.

The letter P indicates a longitudinal flat spring, loosely attached atits ends to the transverse end braces, E, so as to spring freely. Thesaid spring I passes loosely through a clip secured to the center of thetransverse rod 0, in order that it may slide and operate in connectionwith the semi-elliptical springs U, above mentioned.

The letter R indicates the center beam or bar of the sleiglrfranie. Thisbeam or bar is dropped below the side bars-that is, it is arranged ashort distance below the under edges of the side bars, and has itsopposite ends mortised in the center knees or standards of thesleigh-frame. This dropped arrangement of the center beam or bar permitsthe sleighbody to hang low between the side bars, and at the same timepermits the sleigh-body to play freely in a vertical plane between saidside bars, besides performing its function of strengthening and bracingthe knees and runners, and it also acts as a stop to limit the downwardmotion of side sills and springs of the sleigh-body. This dropped beamis made of plates of metal a u, confining between them a wood filling, aand likewise the center knees or standards of the sleigh are similarlyconstructed, whereby the strength and stifi'- ness of the structure arematerially increased.

The angular braces or strips 0 U are detachably secured to the centerbeam and to the knees, and can be readily removed at pleasure withoutdisturbing the other parts of the structure. The metal plates of thecenter knees or standards are formed at their ends with solid caps I) b,having sockets in which the side bars and the runners respectively set,

and are confined by bolts or screws If passing through the said caps I).

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connectionwith the above description, and without further explanation.

It will be seen that as constructed a spring motion will be provided forthe sleigh-body both laterally and vertically, which will relieve thesleigh-body from the shocks and jars, and the disagreeable joltingmotion usually experienced in sleighs of ordinary construction whenpassing over rough surfaces will be materially lessened, if not whollyobviated.

What 1 claim is- 1. The combination, with the side bars, sup- 7o portedin a fixed position by the sleigh knees, of the semi-elliptical springsF, bent laterally and upwardly at their central portion, which carryside sills for supporting the sleigh-body, and having their endsextending beneath the fixed side bars and attached to the under sidethereof, as shown and described.

2. In combination with the side bars of the sleigh, the semi-ellipticalsprings, pivoted at their front ends to said bars, and at their rearends pivoted to the free ends of the supplemental spring-plates F,secured to the side bars, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the side bars of a sleigh, the semi-ellipticalsprings secured thereto, and the side sills of the sleigh-body, of thecurved laterally-arrangcd springs, secured to said side sills and to theside bars, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In combination with the semi-elliptical o springs, the transverseconnecting rod O, the transverse cud braces, E, and the centrallongitudinal flat springs loosely attached at their ends to the endbraces and loosely confined to theconnecting-rod(),substautially asspecified. 5

The combination, in a sleigh, of the semielliptical springs secured tothe side bars and forming supports for the side sills of the sleighbody,the laterally-arranged curved springs, secured to the side sills and tothe side bars of the sleigh, the transverse rod connecting thesemi-elliptical springs, and the longitudinal spring secured loosely tothe transverse connecting-rod and end braces, substantially asspecified.

6. The combination, with the side bars, (3, and the side sills, Gr,supported by semi-elliptical springs F, which are connected at each endto the side-bars, of a center cross beam or bar arranged below the underedges of the no side bars, and having its ends connected with the centerknees or standards, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT B. WEBSTER. \Vitnesses:

RICHARD J. P. Goonwnv, Jon): BELL.

